Feathered Fellows

Some birds seem to be very sociable with other species. The Willet is an example. I’ve seen Willets hanging close with Black Oystercatchers and with Marbed Godwits. Here on the rocks north of the Open Circle viewpoint, about two dozen Turnstones camped out on the lowest stones, nearest the water, with a handful of Willets scattered among them. It almost looked as if the Willets were the Turnstones’ parents, except that the Willets absolutely ignored the smaller birds’ occasional squabbles, and pointedly went to sleep in their midst. Some of the Willets preferred to sleep balanced high on one leg. Others bellied down to the warm stones.